Gear Review: Hawk Nest Hammock

As someone who frequently travels in backcountry, I’m occasionally faced with the challenge of finding a suitable campsite to set-up my tent and spend the night.  While I usually manage to make things work, in these circumstances I’m envious of hammock campers who have much greater flexibility in where they camp, requiring only two trees which are more or less 3m apart.  For this reason, I’ve been thinking about purchasing a camping hammock for several years, and finally pulled the trigger this past Spring.

Hawk Nest Hammock Inside Included Bag

There are many camping hammock options on the market to choose from.  Some look like traditional hammocks, some look like a tent suspended on a rope, another looks like a sleeping pad hanging at a right angle between trees!  Most of these options are fairly expensive, falling into the range you’d expect for a mid to high end tent.

Hawk Nest Hammock Without Rainfly

One of the reasons that I held back on purchasing a hammock is that I'm a stomach sleeper; while I can fall asleep on my side, it takes me a long, long time to fall asleep on my back.  I wasn't eager to spend hundreds of dollars purchasing something that had limited use and could lead to an uncomfortable camping night.  Makes sense, right?  

I started seeing ads for Hawk Nest Hammocks appearing in social media last year. The price of the product seemed quite modest in comparison to the competition, so it caught my eye. I did some research and asked some questions of people who had purchased one.  The early feedback that I obtained wasn't encouraging; as a version one product, there seemed to be some quality control problems and usability issues that made me decide to hold off.  After several months, version two of the product came out and it seemed to address many of the shortcomings of version one.  Still, I waited.  Earlier this year version three came out, so I started to collect feedback again.  The results this time were more positive than negative, so I decided to give it a try and purchased a Hawk Nest Hammock, Version 3.  The package I chose included several options, including a waterproof fly, upgraded straps and a custom sized inflatable sleeping pad.

Optional Sleeping Pad

I’ve used the Hawk Next Hammock several times now, and here’s what I think: in summary, this is a great option for someone’s “first hammock” experience, or someone who wants the flexibility hammocks offer but isn’t looking for the finest product/most expensive on the market.

The quality of the materials used is on par with my expectations for the price paid ($276 including rainfly, sleeping pad, and upgraded straps).  I think the Hawk Next Hammock will provide me with many years of occasional use, which is exactly what I wanted.  I find it to be comfortable, more than I was expecting in fact, and I even found myself falling asleep quicker than I had hoped.  That said, I do wake up more frequently to reposition myself when sleeping in the hammock than I do in a tent. I don’t see this as a significant issue for occasional use.

If you want more details, read on!

I really like the integrated bug netting the hammock offers, with the two hoops (one at each end) keeping the bug net out of your face and well positioned over the hammock.  The zipper and opening on the hammock makes entry/exit a breeze and feels very secure.  

Setting up the hammock is fast and easy: attach one strap to a tree, attach the hammock to the strap and let it unravel.  Then attach the other end of the hammock to the other strap and fasten it to a second tree.  Next insert each of the two hoops into the purpose made sleeves in the bug netting to open the hammock up, dome like.  Once that’s done, you’re almost good to go!

Hawk Nest Hammock With Rainfly

Depending upon the weather, you may decide to use a sleeping pad for insulation. The Hawk Nest Hammock package that I purchased included a sleep pad specifically designed for the product, however you can use your own existing pad as long as it fits within the generously sized pocket provided under the hammock.  The product specifications page provide specific measurements you should review if you want to use your own pad.  If you do decide to use a pad, this would be the stage where you would inflate it and insert it into the pocket provided, then using the built-in fastener to hold it in place. 

View From The Inside Without Rainfly

Lastly, my Hawk Nest Hammock came with a rainfly, so that’s one more step that’s needed if you want to deploy it, but it’s just as easy: simply throw the fly over the hammock and attach it to the hammock straps at each end, then attach the fly to the included attachment points on the two hops.  Done!

I camped out one night in a full on rainstorm in the Hawk Next Hammock with the rain fly on to see how it performed.  Happily, I had zero leaks and everything stayed dry.  That said, I found it awkward not being able to get in and out of the hammock in the rain without getting wet.  Without a tarp over your head, that’s just reality: the fly keeps the hammock dry, but nothing keeps you dry when you get out.  For this reason, unless I’m really pressed for time, I think I’ll always set-up a tarp above the hammock, just to have that extra protection for getting in and out of the hammock, and to have a place to keep my boots and other gear dry when I’m in the hammock.

On a similar note, I don’t plan on carrying two sleeping pads with me when I travel.  My existing sleeping pad, which I like very much, fits into the Hawk Next Hammock pocket, so I’ll be using it for both my tent and hammock from now on.  While the optional sleeping pad is compact for travel, it's also quite thin and somewhat "crinkly"; two additional reasons I'm unlikely to use it.

Finally, it’s worth noting that inside the hammock are four mesh pockets for stowing some of your smaller gear (phone, glasses, head lamp, etc.), as well as two ridge line hooks for hanging things (small lantern, glasses, whatever).  Keeping loose items organised is important when you’re in a hammock!

Overall, I’m satisfied with my purchase and look forward to having a little less stress when traveling in backcountry, knowing I can now sleep just about anywhere if it’s late and I can’t find a good site for my tent.

I hope you found this useful; feedback appreciated.